Mercury in Capricorn Feb. 3 – 22 Mercury begins its trek through Saturn’s signs, starting with Capricorn on February 3. This leads to a more sober and realistic communicative style than of late. While Mercury was transiting the fiery Sagittarius, we saw some impassioned speech on both sides of the argument, as well as some big ideas being expressed – and many misunderstandings due to its retrograde. Now that Mercury moves on and enters the realism of Capricorn, it’s time to put your money where your mouth is! This is helped by Jupiter's aspect to Capricorn, as we are given the impetus to move forward with our plans and a good spring clean of our lives in February. It’s time to make a realistic plan of action in order to see your big ideas through to completion. It may not happen today or tomorrow, or anytime soon, but someday in the future it will surely come to pass if you are willing to put the work in. Jupiter Retrograde in Virgo Feb. 6 – June 9 On February 6, Jupiter stations retrograde at the very edge of sidereal Virgo, focusing on the details of our big ideas and practical concerns, while its opposition to Mars and Uranus stirs up some shocking events. This also energizes us, as when shocking news can charge our nervous systems. Jupiter in Virgo is all about walking the walk. But sometimes walking the walk requires retracing our steps! The area of life we experience Virgo represents an area we tend to dissect, anyway. Now with Jupiter increasing our awareness, there is ample opportunity to understand how this part of our life ticks. Thankfully, Venus in Pisces grants us the ability to let it all be, just as it is, without the need to over-analyze absolutely everything. Be mindful, however, of not becoming too critical during Jupiter’s turn around in Virgo, especially as Venus itself retrogrades in Pisces in March and April. Jupiter allows us to connect the dots so we can see the underlying intelligence working behind the scenes. A recent example of this I noted was that of a ‘new organ’ discovered inside the body by scientists. It is not new, of course, is known as the mesentery, and is familiar to anyone with knowledge of anatomy. It was, however, previously viewed as fragmented structures in the digestion and has only recently been discovered to be one organ, a double fold of peritoneum: the lining of the abdominal cavity holding our intestine to the wall of our abdomen. Jupiter is at work in Virgo, a sign which represents the intestines, unveiling hidden connections. This discovery reminds us of how much we still have to learn about life - even our own anatomy! Jupiter is still offering us wonder to behold in our everyday lives. Now that Jupiter is about to transit backwards from our perspective in Virgo, we have many more insights on the horizon; into how well we live, as well as how we can improve our lives with simple, down-to-earth routines, spurred on with new discoveries into health and healing. Globally, another possible indication of this turnabout is a reversal of laws and policies which have an impact on our health, and the health of the planet. We may also second guess a belief we currently hold, and put those who are teaching us something important under greater scrutiny When we are granted insights into how things no longer work, we can, at the very least, aspire to doing better. Full Moon in Cancer Penumbral Lunar Eclipse Feb. 10/11 February’s full Moon is also a partial lunar eclipse at the very end of sidereal Cancer, with the north node sitting in the adjacent sign Leo, making this only a partial eclipse. This eclipse is a foreshadowing of what is to come down the line, with the nodes moving into Cancer and Capricorn by August/September 2017. Cancer represents the home and security, as well as a need for comfort. The sign Cancer, and its position in our horoscope, is an area of life we seek comfort - along with the position of the Moon. An eclipse of the Moon itself represents a disturbance to the emotional body; a disturbance which can create changes in our lives if it is placed in a position to challenge habits that no longer serve us. An individual would need to have planets, or important degrees, around the end of sidereal Cancer or Capricorn – where the Moon and Sun are placed for this eclipse – in order for it to make any real impact. In a general sense, we can see that family life and issues around health and security will be more important concerns in the coming years. Sun in Aquarius Feb. 13 – March 14 The Sun transits Saturn’s air sign from February 13, receiving an aspect and influence from Saturn as it enters the sign. This creates a sense of things shifting again, and a need to step back from overdoing it, as the Sun joins the south node, leading to a solar eclipse on February 26. Aquarius represents humanity and global concerns: a collective experience when contrasted to Leo: a sign representing those in leadership roles, as well as those who affect the masses through art, for example. Is it any wonder that celebrities get involved in politics?! These positions of power and privilege are threatened by an eclipsed Sun, as humanitarian concerns become more important than those in power. The balance that is needed is the ability to lead well from a place of integrity. However, it can also be seen that the issues of humanity and global crisis, have been poorly addressed when the presence of the southern eclipse point in Aquarius is taken into account. At the same time we have the northern eclipse point - the ruler of the lunar sign in which this eclipse is placed- positioned in Leo, in the south node's lunar sign. This exchange between the nodes is confusing, as solutions to humanitarian crisis are put it the hands of those who are more self-centered and ill-equipped to deal with the conundrum. Mercury in Aquarius Feb. 22 – March 10 Mercury joins the Sun in Aquarius from February 22, just as the Sun passes the southern eclipse point, Ketu. Although the solar eclipse does not occur until the Moon joins the Sun on February 26, we can begin to at least think about how our individual lives can affect positive change, starting with our own individual voices, as Mercury enters Aquarius. Mercury transits the southern eclipse degree by the end of February, bringing to lights more 'facts', unveiling the ‘truth’ about what has previously been hidden. However, it also leads to more confusion because of the presence of Neptune in Aquarius. In fact, we cannot be certain of anything, as Neptune blurs the boundaries of reality. New Moon in Aquarius Annular Solar Eclipse Feb. 26
The night before this new Moon and this partial solar eclipse, is known as Maha Shivaratri in the Hindu calendar. This is the ‘great night of Lord Shiva’, and one which represents a turning back into ourselves to come to a deeper place, beyond titles, positions and roles – a trans-personal self which is eternal, represented by Lord Shiva. The new Moon is always an opportune time to withdraw, while this new Moon and solar eclipse offers up even more opportunity to tap into our true essence, beyond forms. Sometimes, however, the form must be relinquished through destruction of some kind. Mars joins up with Uranus on this day, opposing Jupiter as it does so, creating the possibility for more shocking events, both natural and man-made. This kind of upset is also a communal sense of awe at the wonder and mystery of life, and the profundity and inevitability of death. This solar eclipse is exactly opposite the previous solar eclipse in Leo; an eclipse which has revealed enough demonic forces in leaders of the world, so as to send populations into a tail spin. At the same time, the south node in Aquarius, along with Neptune, has created a lot of confusion for the public. This eclipse represents a need to re-orientate ourselves - a task which can only be achieved by finding out what does not change: that which is ever present in the midst of chaos and disorder. The eclipsed Sun represents a fall from power in some sense or another, while those who were overlooked, and things that were hidden from view, are being brought out into the open. The emphasis shifts to Saturn’s plight in Gandanta, the gap between Scorpio and Sagittarius, as the planet of structure falters, and established forms continue to crumble. |